1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to staged combustors and more particularly to a staged combustor which provides a substantially stoichiometric combustion.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the course of investigating possible power systems for Lunar and Mars surface system applications, present co-applicant, C. L. Stone, developed a Closed Cycle Power System (hereinafter "CCPS") which is the subject of co-pending patent application Ser. No. 07/663,219, filed concurrently herewith and assigned to the present Assignee. Effective use of the CCPS resulted in the requirement of a combustor which could generate thermal energy from the combustion of input propellants and transfer that energy to the working fluid. Additionally, to the used in the CCPS successfully, the effluent from the combustion process was required to be identical to the working fluid, thus avoiding resulting problems if the working fluid and the exhaust products are separated. Furthermore, complete stoichiometric combustion of input products and provision of an efficient cooling of the combustor were additional design requirements.